The Great Merchant in the Cataclysm

Translator: I'm Working Hard

Editor: Lightbubble

Chapter 41: The Bloodvine Demon Lotus

When Zhang Mu put his hand into the hole he dug, he immediately sensed that the white light became stronger.

Unsure if the light was a figment of his imagination, he continued reaching into the hole. Zhang Mu noticed his hand had started to slow down, as if the light turned tangible and viscous.

"What's wrong? Why is it resisting? Did the lotus sense danger? It shouldn't have the ability to tell a hunter from a prey. As long as anything is attracted to it, a part of his energy would be drawn to the lotus."

Zhang Mu frowned and felt very confused. How did the Blood Lotus know that his mind was unaffected? Unknown to Zhang Mu, the lotus could actually distinguish that Zhang Mu was not under its control, so it tried to stop him from getting close to it.

Did it have its own consciousness? It shouldn't be. It was just the third day and it was impossible for mutated plants to open up their intelligence so early. Even if the lotus was the plant which boasted the fastest growth and the most powerful ability, it was still impossible.

Zhang Mu got nervous as unknown things were the scariest. Although he knew about how the owner of the lotus had avoided the mutated King Kong, protected himself with a spiritual armor, and became the master of the Bloodvine Lotus - rather than its nutriment - but by accident; Zhang Mu had just heard it from someone in his past life. Who knew if it was actually true?

However, Zhang Mu had no choice but to seize the chance tightly. He needed anything that could provide him with power as he didn't have any evolutionary ability.

Zhang Mu ground his teeth as his veins swelled. He roared and pushed against the resistance of the white light. Finally, he managed to touch the Blood Lotus.

Even though he was a step closer to success, he did not dare to let his guard down, because he knew the greatest danger was coming. Zhang Mu stared at the lotus with all his attention.

Zhang Mu did not know if it was his mistake, but he actually felt the Blood Lotus tremble.

Is it alive?

When the frightful thought surfaced in his mind, a great change happened.

From the surface of the Blood Lotus, countless thin tentacles grew out and stuck themselves onto Zhang Mu's right arm. Zhang Mu's blood flowed into the Blood Lotus at a very high speed.

Zhang Mu sensed danger as he felt his right arm become limp.

What happen? Because the speed at which he lost blood was too fast, Zhang Mu's whole arm soon became dry.

He had heard that when the person who got the Bloodvine Lotus had nearly gotten sucked into a mummy, he had tried to cut down the tentacles, but it didn't work. Instead, the crystals and cores that dropped from his body accidentally drew the Blood Lotus' attention.

Zhang Mu quickly took out all the crystals and beast cores from his Merchant's Ring and used them to wrap his right hand.

All of a sudden, the feebleness he felt in his arm disappeared. The tentacles of Blood Lotus had left Zhang Mu's hand and went for the crystals and animal cores.

The man who told me the story did not deceive me! Although he was drunk, he said the truth. I gambled right!

Those crystals and beast cores quickly shrank.

The Blood Lotus could directly take energy from crystals and beast cores as expected.

Zhang Mu didn't just wait idly. He inserted his left arm into the hole as well and held onto the last tentacle that tried to leave his right arm and let it suck his blood continuously.

Even if the Blood Lotus had intelligence, it only possessed the instinct to eat and protect itself. As it wasn't willing to give up the huge amount of energy presented to it, the Blood Lotus let Zhang Mu do whatever he wanted to do.

At this moment, Zhang Mu didn't feel dizzy from losing so much blood Instead, he was excited.

It was too naive. Creatures whose intelligence wasn't high enough had a deadly weakness: they couldn't control their greed.

In Zhang Mu's opinion, a creature dominated by its instincts would eventually become a puppet no matter how powerful it was.

The lotus had become blood red as it sucked on Zhang Mu's arm. The pure white light was corrupted by the blood.

This was its true nature. It had only pretended to be pure before.

This was the truest form of the Bloodvine Demon Lotus!

The lotus continued absorbing the energy from the crystals. Quickly, a lot of them were depleted and turned into powders. Seeing that, Zhang Mu felt heartbroken. However, as the saying goes, no pain, no gain.

Overcoming the pain from his arm, Zhang Mu focused on the change of the Bloodvine Lotus. Seeing that it was trying to leave after eating enough crystals, Zhang Mu sneered, "You want to leave after eating you fill? Dream on!"

Zhang Mu held the tentacle with all his might and didn't let it go no matter how it slapped him.

Are you kidding me?! If Zhang Mu let the Bloodvine Lotus go, he wouldn't be qualified as a businessman!

When the amount of blood the lotus had absorbed reached a certain degree, the lotus would recognize the owner of the blood as its master. The Bloodvine Lotus needed blood to replenish its energy and it would let go of its host only after it has sucked the victim dry or after it was full.

There were two methods it used to release the host: hallucination or violence. The choice depended on the degree of control it had over on its prey.

Zhang Mu met all the requirements to become its master. As time went by, the Bloodvine Lotus lost interested in Zhang Mu's blood. It had gotten enough energy from the crystals.

Finally, Zhang Mu let go of the lotus after making sure that it didn't 'eat' anymore.

Feeling the faint connection between himself and the lotus, Zhang Mu was ecstatic.

God bless, everything was going according to his plan.